“Unity is strength… when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.” Mattie Stepanek

Motivation Mondays: UNITY – Begins with us…

In morals, theosophy builds its teachings on unity, seeing in each form the expression of a common life, and therefore the fact that what injures one injures all. To do evil i.e., to throw poison into the life-blood of humanity, is a crime against the unity. Annie Besant

What does UNITY mean to you? With the Summer Olympics in Rio, Friendship Day, Sisters Day and International Forgiveness Day around the corner, I can’t help but think about the power and importance of Unity. It takes unity to build a strong team, a strong family, and a strong nation. When we work together with others to achieve a community or team goal, the unity we develop and share carries over into our lives and our exchanges with others. Some folks like to believe that the self-made man is a powerful idea but, it is merely a concept used by people who somehow have forgotten that no one can create success in a vacuum. We need the support of people who believe in our vision and are ready, willing, and able to help us achieve it. We see moments of unity in our every day lives. We we cook for our families and they help us clean up, that is unity. When we help a co-worker finish a task to meet a deadline, that is unity. When we offer assistance to a stranger in need and follow up with calls to friends/family that are ailing, that is unity. All the service providers who work behind the scenes to make our travel, shopping, health, and even family experiences smooth and bearable, do their work with a goal to make each of us feel the unity and comfort we do when we visit a particular location.

By the same token, we can develop a spirit of unity in our interactions with others by being of service to those in need, by staying involved in our communities, and by expressing our gratitude for what we have accomplished. Last Sunday, my minister said something that resonated with my spirit. He said that we need to develop a spirit of daily gratitude. If we would make the commitment to express our gratitude for 3 good things in our lives every day, we will see a shift in our interactions and in our mindset. Are you expressive and grateful for the support others give you? Are you a team-player who includes others and sings their praises? We can all find a path to that gateway and start appreciating the common unity we all share in this world. Frankly, it is Unity and love that sustain our planet and keep us committed to improving the lot of others in need. Without a spirit of unity, no much can be achieved. We need the synergy that comes from collaborations and team work to get things done.

A STORY: UNITY IN FRIENDSHIP
A long time ago in China there were two friends, one who played the harp skilfully and one who listen skillfully. When the one played or sang about a mountain, the other would say: “I can see the mountain before us.” When the one played about water, the listener would exclaim: “Here is the running stream!”
But the listener fell sick and died. The first friend cut the strings of his harp and never played again. Since that time the cutting of harp strings has always been a sign of intimate friendship. Source: Zen Flesh, Zen Bones

“Where there is unity there is always victory.” Publilius Syrus

Motivation Mondays: UNITY – Begins with us…

I’ve always seen the Olympics as a place where you could act out your differences on the athletic field with a sense of sportsmanship and fairness and mutual respect. Andrew Young
We talk a lot about hope, helping, and teamwork. Our whole message is that we are more powerful together. Victoria Osteen

Do you know how UNITY operates in this World? It operates through the effort we make to help others and the actions we take to stop the negative chatter around us. When we embrace others where they are and stop casting stones, we begin to see the humanity inside of them and that light shines on us too. Whenever I find myself viewing the world, and my fellow humans, through a narrow and dark lens, it has an impact on me too. As the stories I shared above and below can confirm, we can rise above our own small needs to become expansive and inclusive of others. When we develop a team vision, it blossoms in a beneficial way that has a positive impact on us and others around us. Try it. Instead of making assumptions about each other on the first meeting, try viewing the other person as a member of your team. View them through the lens of brotherhood/sisterhood and then connect with them from that place and see what transpires. Will you try it? Sure, there are times we don’t feel like it but, we can try it from time to time.

This morning, at my local Bed, Bath & Beyond, an elderly lady waved at me to come help her. I wasn’t sure what she needed but I approached her anyway. She simply explained that because she had broken her wrist in a recent fall, she was having a hard time putting her car in the right gear. She wanted me to back her car out of the tight spot in the parking lot for her and I gladly complied. It was a tight fit in the car because, being a petite lady, she had her seat close to the steering wheel. I helped her, she thanked me and we both left the lot feeling good about the exchange. In that one incident, we were united in our humanness and our common desire to accomplish a task. We can bring the same motivation to all we do for our loved ones and for strangers too. It takes a willingness to see others as team members who are aiding our success instead of as just competitors who want to destroy us. We can develop this expansive vision even as we work to win our gold medals and celebrate our victories… Give that approach a try and see how much of a shift you will experience in achieving your daily goals.

A STORY: UNITY IN UNDERSTANDING
The Zen Master Hoshin lived in China many years. Then he returned to the northeastern part of Japan, where he taught his disciples. When he was getting very old, he told them a story he had heard in China.
This is the story: One year on the twenty-fifth of December, Tokufu, who was very old, said to his disciples: “I am not going to be alive next year so you fellows should treat me well this year.”
The pupils thought he was joking, but since he was a great-hearted teacher each of them in turn treated him to a feast on succeeding days of the departing year. On the eve of the new year, Tokufu concluded: “You have been good to me. I shall leave tomorrow afternoon when the snow has stopped.”
The disciples laughed, thinking he was aging and talking nonsense since the night was clear and without snow. But at midnight snow began to fall, and the next day they did not find their teacher about. They went to the meditation hall. There he had passed on.
Hoshin, who related this story, told his disciples: “It is not necessary for a Zen master to predict his passing, but if he really wishes to do so, he can.”
“Can you?” someone asked.
“Yes,” answered Hoshin. “I will show you what I can do seven days from now.” None of the disciples believed him, and most of them had even forgotten the conversation when Hoshin called them together.
“Seven days ago,” he remarked, “I said I was going to leave you. It is customary to write a farewell poem, but I am neither a poet or a calligrapher. Let one of you inscribe my last words.”
His followers thought he was joking, but one of them started to write.
“Are you ready?” Hoshin asked.
“Yes sir,” replied the writer.
The Hoshin dictated:
I came from brilliancy
And return to brilliancy.
What is this? This line was written one line short of the customary four, so the disciple said: “Master, we are one line short.” Hoshin, with the roar of a conquering lion, shouted “Kaa!” and was gone. Source: Zen Stories

The details for Motivation Mondays are below. Join in! The themes for June and July 2016 are:

“Even if a unity of faith is not possible, a unity of love is.” Hans Urs von Balthasar

Motivation Mondays: UNITY – Begins with us…

You don’t get unity by ignoring the questions that have to be faced. Jay Weatherill
The essence of the beautiful is unity in variety. Felix Mendelssohn

How can we work to develop a spirit of unity in all we do? Start where you are. Offer help without judgement. See the greatness in others and lift them up. Take a chance on life and be grateful. When we stop to consider that planet Earth is sustained by the unity that occurs between the seasons, people, nature, animals, cultures and all forms of energy that keeps it going, we can begin to understand that there is a richness to our presence on this planet. From the time we take our first breath at birth, to the day we take our last breath in death, we are in constant contact with others who assist us and help us complete actions we take to complete even ordinary tasks. If we can take a moment to show our appreciation for everything/everyone in our lives, and see the helpful connections that make our lives easy, we will understand the importance of developing a spirit of unity globally. But it must come from ALL of us. When people feel disenfranchised, disconnected and fragmented in the communities they inhabit, it is hard to see the value in unity. But we must take that leap for our community survival and for global peace.

A STORY: Snowflakes
“Tell me the weight of a snowflake,” a coal-mouse asked a wild dove.
“Nothing more than nothing,” was the answer.
“In that case, I must tell you a marvelous story,” the coal-mouse said.
“I sat on the branch of a fir, close to its trunk, when it began to snow – not heavily, not in a raging blizzard – no, just like a dream, without a sound and without any violence. Since I did not have anything better to do, I counted the snowflakes settling on the twigs and needles of my branch. Their number was exactly 3,741,952. When the 3,741,953rd dropped onto the branch – nothing more than nothing, as you say – the branch broke off.”
Having said that, the coal-mouse flew away. Source: Zen Stories

Positive Motivation Tip: See the Unity in all things and carve a path to your fellow men/women

Motivation Mondays is open to anyone who wishes to share a motivational quote, photo, personal challenge or a post that encourages others to start the week on an upbeat note.Basic Instructions: Each week, I will have a motivation word to help us create a response. (See listed words for the months above/below)Email address: You may email or share your post as a comment and I will add it to the round-up of related posts. email it to: contact(@)mirthandmotivation(.)comCategory tag: – Share your post using Motivation MondaysTwitter hashtag: – Use this on Twitter #MotvnMDedicated Page: There is a dedicated page for Motivation Mondays. It has the same instructions and will include other helpful tools and a link to the round-upFacebook Page:MotivationOnMondays Join our page and add your post and/or any motivational piece you think will be helpful to others.Facebook Community: We have a Facebook community forum to compliment the page. It serves as another way to share uplifting posts and thoughts. Please join in and add your voice.

Badge: – I created a fun badge using PicMonkey’s free photo editing tools. You can create your own, use WordPress’ integrated tool on your blog or you are welcome to use mine. (see dedicated page)Tag: – Motivation MondaysHashtag: – #MotvnMRelated Posts